Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) is a visa scheme devised by the Australian Federal Government to meet the demand for specific talents in the job market by recruiting talents from offshore. Under the Employer Nomination Scheme, approved employers can nominate employees from abroad and the nominated employees get permanent visa. The applicants must have a skill level higher than that required for the 457 visa. Many 457 visa holders depend on the Employer Nomination Scheme to obtain permanent residence in Australia.
Application procedure for Employer Nomination Scheme visa
- In order to apply for Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186 visa, your employer in Australia must nominate you first
- After the employer submits the nomination, the government will review the business operations of the employer and the position to which you are nominated.
- You can submit your application within six months after the government approves your nomination
- The processing of your application may involve skills assessment, English language proficiency test and police checks.
Application Pathways for Employer Nomination Scheme
You can apply for Australian visa under the Employer Nomination Scheme through one of the three application pathways:
- Temporary Residence Transition: If the applicant has worked with an employer for two years on 457 visa prior to submitting the application. In this pathway, no skills assessment is needed.
- Direct Entry: In this pathway, the employee will have to undergo a skills assessment. They must also have three years of work experience in the nominated occupation.
- Agreement Stream: In this case, employer has a Labour Agreement
Requirements
In order to obtain visa under Employer Nomination Scheme, you must fulfill the following requirements:
- You must have been nominated by your employer within six months before you submit your application.
- You are under the age of 50 if applying under the Temporary Residence Stream or under the age of 45 if applying under Direct Entry Stream
- Have the required skills and qualifications
- Have required English language skills
- Meet health and character requirements
Advantages of Employer Nomination Scheme visa
Once granted visa under Employer Nomination Scheme, you and your family members can enjoy the following benefits:
- Permanent residence in Australia
- Right to work and study in Australia
- Enrol in Medicare(healthcare scheme of the country)
- Apply for Australian citizenship
- Sponsor relatives for permanent residence
- Travel to and from Australia for five years after visa being granted.
Processing time
Under the Temporary Residence Transition Scheme, it will take 8 months to 10 months to process the Employer Nomination Scheme visa application. Under Direct Entry Stream, the processing time can be 9 months to 15 months.
To explore your Australian immigration options, please contact us.
